Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

It’s awards season, so let’s make up a couple. Who’s your stud of the year, the player who most impressed you? And your dud?

Steve Aschburner: Another way to phrase the first part of this would be, “¿Quién es más macho?” based on my choice: Ricky Rubio. The pressure was on this kid, built up over the two years between his draft selection in 2009 and his arrival from Barcelona, finally, this season. Yet he proved to be far more NBA-ready than many people expected. His innate ability to deliver the ball transformed Minnesota offensively and his long arms and instincts kept him surprised those of us who thought he’d be overwhelmed defensively. He was “Linsanity” in flyover country, though for longer and more legitimately. Minnesota was 18-13 in the games Rubio started, 8-26 (with one game left) when he did not. Dud of the year? Ladies and gentlemen, may we present Mr. Dwight! David! Howard!

Fran Blinebury: He doesn’t have the classic, muscular stud physique, but Tony Parker put the Spurs on his back and carried them to the best record in the West, setting up for a realistic run at San Antonio’s fifth championship. And he does it all with that sly, knowing grin on his face. As for a dud, it’s hardly a race. I do believe Dwight Howard is Secretariat at the Belmont, running 31 lengths away from the field.

Scott Howard-Cooper: Most impressed? Probably LeBron James, because he played at an MVP level (again) while improving his image (for a change), even if he can partly thank Dwight Howard for setting a new high for player-movement lows. Speaking of my dud, Howard doesn’t win this prestigious award. At least he produced in a big way. But no one could have imagined Lamar Odom’s 2011-12. A letdown after leaving the Lakers, maybe. But to be told to stay away from the Mavs would have been unimaginable to consider in December.

Shaun Powell: Kevin Love wasn’t the best player in 2011-12, but I absolutely loved how he approached every game and the performance level he kept until he was injured. He really, really wanted the Wolves to be winners, if only to dispute the notion he was just a guy putting up impressive numbers on a lousy team. There aren’t many players willing to stick their nose in the paint to grab a rebound in traffic, and also possess the necessary skill to win the 3-point shootout. Plus, he’s an engaging guy. As for the dud, Andray Blatche would get arrested for stealing this many millions if he worked on Wall Street.

John Schuhmann: My Stud of the Year, the guy who impressed me most whenever I caught him on League Pass, is Paul Millsap. His numbers weren’t as good as they were last year, but he’s hit a lot of big shots for the Jazz and is a plus-195 for a team that has outscored its opponents by only 39 points overall. I never believed in the Jazz until last week’s Blogtable, but I’ll be the first to say now that Tyrone Corbin deserves some serious Coach of the Year consideration and that Millsap is the man. My Dud of the Year has got to be Lamar Odom, who we’ve already discussed extensively.

Sekou Smith: Can you pick an entire organization for Stud of the Year? I’m doing it anyway. The Chicago Bulls doing what they’ve done this season with and without reigning MVP Derrick Rose in the lineup is nothing short of remarkable. From the front office to the coaching staff all the way down to the end of the bench, the Bulls have made a mockery of the league’s age old formula that says a team doesn’t run properly without a couple of stars dragging the everyone else around on their backs. As for my dud of the year, well, this is a team game. And no one has made me cover my eyes more this year than the Charlotte Bobcats. The end of this season can’t come soon enough for that crew.

23 Comments

My pick for MVP is Tony Parker. After last year people may have thought san antonios reign in the western conference was finally subdued . Not if tony parker had something to say about it. Let’s face it, KD and LeBron did not do anything unexpected. OKC and miami was picked by many to be the top seed in thier respective conferences, with KD and LBJ in the MVP conversation, No one expected Tony Parker to have A spectacular season, exceding maybe even Spurs fans expectations, and without Parker I say Spurs are 5th seed at best. I respect James and KD for improving every year but Tony kept his club afloat with unreal drive and determination.

For me the MVP is still LeBron, has the stats to prove it and the win percentage..
Most improved player should be Ryan Anderson or Greg Monroe, both of them improved drastically this year.
For the sixth man, it should be james harden..
For the dud man of the year it should be Lamar Odom – I can’t even predict how come he regressed to much. all stats are low.
Most hyped player of the year will be Jeremy lin.. cmon what he had done in a small span of time can’t be compared..

Well most disappointing thing that happen during the season is the ricky rubio injury.. they were 8 in the standings and may go to playoffs until rubio gets injured

Are you kidding me guys!? Kobe Bryant is shooting one of his worse percentages of his entire career and your saying he’s MVP? You guys need help. Its a tough choice between lebron and durant this year. Kobe needs to not shoot 38 % and then will talk about MVP’s for kobe. Stud of the year I would say has to go to Kevin Love he proved with help around him he can carry a playoff team with his three pointers and his rebounding. Dud of the year has to go to the Dallas Mavericks in my opinion wear you at Mark your team is old and going to lose to thunder first round. Enough said

its so funny how last year everyone counted cp3 out and now he puts a team on his back whom never had a chance without him (look at their record last year) now he’s put on this team and people talk about a battle for la. I don’t get what CP3 has to do to get a mvp around here he was cheated in 08 when they gave it to kobe for seniority but all these guys did all these things last year durant, kobe, lebron ( still shot 50% while attempting more 3s so slightly more difficult) mvp is not most valuable player it should be mpp ( most popular player) CP3 is more valuable to his team than any other player in this league and he has stats to back it up.

Sekou, you are, as ever, a true gent – Kobe Bryant is without a doubt the Stud of the Year

Just like he is MVP of the 2011/12 season

Congratulations Kobe Bryant, I hope you go on to beat the Chicago Bulls (who the Lakers will meet in the Finals) and earn yourself a very special place in NBA history

Kobe, it’s been a privilege watching you this year, anyone who has followed your career since you slipped on your Adidas-version of MJ’s Nikes would agree that this year has been one of your most impressive

Unfortunitely they have only been awarding the mvp award to whoever is the hottest player towards the end of the season. So this years mvp will be Lebron even thought I think Durant has been a driving force for the Thunder ALL YEAR LONG. Kobe was great this year as well but I dont think this was one of his greatest seasons. He has had alot of games when his fg% wasn’t to good and to get the MVP you have to be healthy. So in fairness I think Durant should be MVP.

Stud totally kobe’s for keeping lakers afloat for a long chunk of this short regular season and leading the league in scoring till last week all with injuries and a lot of age on those legs..dud i would like to say dwight but it has to be lamar odom

surprises: lebron development, bulls play without rose, parker and spurs, jazz push, suns try of comeback (nash great season at 38), mavs low seed, kobe amazing season, trades, bobcats horrible year and thunder starting to be inable to close games like the heat did last year.

my most impressed player was danny granger he starting to come up big at the end of games not that long ago fans around town wanted to get rid of granger and iam one of them we felt like he shoot to many threes and was not a go to guy, but he has stepped his game up and has came up big this year when the game counted and is becomeing a leader on a young team, my dud of the year is Dirk after the playoffs and coming off the championship i excpected big thimgs from the german but he just hasn’t been that dominant player for me that iam used to its like hes satisfied and not hungry this season came into the season out of shape.

There´s a bunch of guys who had a great season: Love,Millsap,Paul,Bryant,James..But i´m really suprised by Nash; that guy produced at an MVP level despite his advanced age and poor teammates.He carried the Suns and even though they didn´t make the playoffs, Nash was maybe the best point guard in the league this season.As for dud,i disagree when people say Dwight Howard.If it wasn´t for him,the Magic would be fighting for the eight seed at this point, so despite his flaws as a leader,Dwight has produced a lot for his team.Obviously there´s no bigger disapointment than Odom.I expected him to improve his game to an all-star level,but he clearly messed up by leaving LA and couldn´t get his mind clear to help the Mavericks.He´s been a non-factor this season.

i just don’t understand If Nash is so good, how come he could not lead his team to the winning. I know he is very good point guard. That means something. Are the players very bad in this sun team? or has no that ability to lead them. Let’s compare with Knicks. Knicks lost more than winning before Keremy lin came, but how come he led the team win 7 games and turned around to .500? I think Nash may have problems of teamworking with other people. Or just because other players are all under average playing style. Anybody can tell me?

Let me put it in simple terms for you to understand Nash is one of the greatest point guards of his generation and for him to have nearly led the suns to the playoffs shows how unfortunate and sad it is he was never surrounded by enough quality players to win a championship.

Nash is a good pg, but is seriously OVERATED! Isiah thomas, John Stockton, Chauncey Billups, Rajon Rondo, and even Jason Kidd all got their teams to the finals. He is one of the only so called great point guards who never led his team to the finals. And you cannot say he never had the team to make it to the finals either. The mavs team he was on was good they had good players and those playoff Suns teams were great too. He had the Matrix and STAT in their prime and one of the greatest offensive teams ever. And Nash can only contribute offensively.

Noone makes their players play better than Steve Nash – he gets them the ball and helps them score unfortunately they arent good players to begin with. Shawn Marion on the Mavericks is not the Shawn Marion who played ball for the Suns and the only reason is because he is not playing with Nash. Nash has given players more max contracts than Isaiah Thomas…
and no, i dont mean Isaiah Thomas the Point Guard i mean Isaiah Thomas the GM.

If I had to go with players, I’d go with Kobe Bryant for doing what he’s done at his age. He’s a brilliant talent and finds ways to be effective when everything tells us he should be slipping and showing signs of wear and tear. As for a dud, it’s hard not to point the finger at Lamar Odom. He could have been great in Dallas but simply had no interest in embracing that situation.

kobe deserves the MVP this year. i love what KD and lebron are doing…. but the fact that kobe has only 1 mvp has got to do SOMETHING to the decision makers right? idc if somebody averaged 30/20. kobe doing what hes doing at this age merits an MVP to the generations best player